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Three Common Failings in Cultivation

June 09, 2013 |   By Lichen, a Falun Dafa practitioner in China

(Minghui.org)

Doing Things Alone Is Not Cultivation

Some practitioners mistake doing things for cultivation and forget about improving their xinxing. They show off about how many things they finish and how good these things are. As practitioners, everything we face, major or minor, is arranged to fulfill our vows. Only if we can let go of ourselves and remove our attachments as we do our work can we walk well the path Master has arranged for us. Master has told us, “The whole process of cultivation is a process of constantly getting rid of human attachments.” (Zhuan Falun)

I once spoke with a practitioner who has done many things during the Fa-rectification period. Some of the things he did the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) even singled out as "special cases." He told me that he did not know how to integrate cultivating his xinxing along with his work and admired other practitioners who knew how to take every opportunity to cultivate themselves.

Inability to Look Within Unconditionally

Some practitioners haven't yet arrived at the state where they can look within unconditionally. Sometimes they don't properly look within but, rather, just look for the cause in the issue itself. This then prevents further attachments from being discarded. They seem to stagnate, and their improvement is slow. If these practitioners show signs of impatience or unhappiness or fail to cooperate, the practitioners helping them are not able to look within unconditionally and thus fail to find any other attachments that need to be discarded.

Master said:

“In providing salvation to humankind, the Buddha School does not attach any condition or seek returns, and it will help unconditionally.” (Zhuan Falun)

Should the practitioner assisting others not hold such an attachment, then there will be fewer adverse reactions. But for those who don't look within may feel that it's unfair or look down on others when others don't do so well.

I once worked very hard with a male practitioner to coordinate a major project. We did our best and always felt worn out. When I learned that some practitioners were spreading rumors that I had an improper relationship with him, I felt very wronged, because I did not find any improper thoughts towards this practitioner. Later I calmed down and looked inside and realized that these rumors were caused by the attachment of lust.

Not Putting Strict Demands on Oneself, Failing to Change Notions

When a problem arises at home or among practitioners, the first thought for some practitioners is not to look inside but rather to blame others. Some do not have breadth of mind and even quarrel with others. As I recall, Master has told us (not the exact words), that gods don't look at whose approach is the best, rather, they look at one's heart and whether or not you have been able to disregard human mindsets.
If we change our conventional mentalities and form a habit of looking inside and truly treat ourselves as Dafa disciples, Master will then be able to help us. Master said:

“The master is the one who arranges these things, it’s the master who does it. That’s why we say, ‘Cultivation is up to you, gong is up to the master.’ All that you have is that goal, that thought, but it’s really the master who takes care of it.” (Zhuan Falun)

Some practitioners continue to avoid problems and regard any unpleasant things as bad things. How can our human thoughts be exposed without conflicts? How can we cultivate ourselves without any problems? As practitioners, we should change this human concept and treat everything, good or bad, as a good thing and a precious opportunity to improve our xinxing.

I hope that those practitioners who have been in a poor cultivation state start to be strict with themselves, take worldly losses and gains lightly, remove attachments, and show the splendor of Falun Dafa to the world.